HALF of adult men in Clackmannanshire are drinking alcohol at harmful levels, according to statistics highlighted by a politician.

MSP Alexander Stewart MBE has been showing his support for Alcohol Focus Scotland and spoke about the figures from the charity, which also showed there were 14 alcohol related deaths in the county last year.

The Mid Scotland and Fife Scottish Conservative representative got to know about the work of the organisation when it was exhibiting at Holyrood.

He explained: “Their aim is a reduction in alcohol harm to individuals, families, communities and Scotland as a whole, through the implementation of effective control policies and legislation.”

The politician added: “As well as the clear personal cost which alcohol harm generates, across the four constituencies, the average annual cost is some £223.9m which equates to that of just over £345 per person – figures which clearly need to be addressed with urgency.”

Statistics from the charity also showed 20 per cent of women drink at hazardous levels, there were 380 people who had to stay in hospital due to alcohol and there were 26 child protection cases where parental alcohol or drug misuse was involved.